Attachment for mowing-machines.



No. 730,948. PATENTED JUNE 16. 1903. A. MIDDLETON -& T. s. PEARSON.ATTACHMENT FOR MOWING MACHINES.

APPLICIATION TILED JUNE 9, 1902.

a slums-SHEET 1L H0 MODEL.

g zgfonr.

o. 730,948. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903. A. MIDDLETON & T. s. PEARSON.

ATTACHMENT FOR MOWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION rum) Junn'g, 1902. no MODEL. 2 sinus-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAM' MIDDLETON AND THOMAS S. PEARSON, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA,

ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO NELSON G. HANNA, OF KOKOMO, IN-

DIANA.

ATTACI-IIMENT FOR IVIIOWING-FMACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,948, dated June 16,1903.

Application filed June 9, 1902. Serial No; 110,938. No model.) I

To all (u/tom it may concern.-

Be itknown that we, ABRAM MIDDLETON and THOMAS S. PEARSON, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and Stateof Indiana, have invented a new and useful Attachment forMowing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to an attachment for mowing-machines by which arevolving rake acting in conjunction with a horizontal platform placedimmediately behind the sicklebar or cutting apparatus rakes and sweepsthe grass which is cut by the machine in one bunch or heap to a positionimmediately in the rear of the mower and there deposits it;

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this class whichshall not only ob-, viate the necessity of raking the cut grass or othercropscut by the machine into windrows by a separate machine for thepurpose of depositing such grass,&c. ,in such a position that it willnot be run over or trampled upon by such mower and the horses attachedto the same upon the next round, but which will deposit such grass, &c.,in compact bunches or heaps, so that it may without further labor, beeasily and swiftly gathered up and loaded upon wagons for hauling away.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the rakingmechanism that whenever the crop is thin or light the rake shall passover the material, resting upon the platform in an elevated position andWithout engaging the same, the said rake being in the meanwhile heldandcaused to traverse the platform in an elevated position, at which it,

' is retained by mechanism to be hereinafter described and which formsthe subject of our invention. The invention further consists in animproved construction and arrangement of the thereto in position foroperation, the cutting apparatus and platform having been removed inorder that the detailed parts of the invention may be seen more clearly.Fig. 2 is-a similar View, but showing the cutting apparatus and platformin position and showing the rake-arm elevated so as to traverse theplatform without engaging the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thedevice as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of thedevice as shown in Fig. 2 and looking toward the rear end of themachine.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by likecharacters of reference. 1 designates one of the supporting-wheels of amowing-machine, upon which the bevelgear 2 is clamped in the usualmanner. The hub 3 of said bevel-gear supports the frame 4 of ourimproved attachment. Said frame may be described as consisting of'aplatform 5, having at its inner end a downwardly-extending bracket 6with a perforation 7, which is journaled upon the hub 3, and where it isretainedin position by means of a disk 8, secured upon the outer end ofsaid hub. The platform 5 is provided at its outer end with anupwardly-extending bracket 9, from the upper end of which an arm 10extends at a diagonal or upward incline in an inward direction, andprovided at its upper terminal with means 11 for connection with theends of braces 12 and 13, whereby the frame 4: is connected with theframe of the machine, so as to retain it constantly in an uprightposition.. We desire it to be understood that the exact structure ofthis frame vis capable of being considerably modified Without departingfrom the spirit or limiting the scope of our invention, the onlynecessary qualifications being that it shall be suitably constructed tobe supported by the rotary part of and to have rigid connection with theframe of the mowingmachine and that, furthermore, its general frame andthe upper end of which is connected by a hinge-joint 18 with the innerend of the rake-arm 19. The latter carries at its outer end the rake 20,which is provided in the usual manner with teeth 21. The generalconstruction of the rake may be varied to suit individual preferences.Upon the upper side of the frame 4 an connected therewith in anysuitable manner is arranged the rake-track 22,which, as shown, mayconsist of an approximately circular ring encircling the bearing of thestem or shaft 17, but set in an inclined position with relation to thelatter, its upper portion being rake-track may also be bent or concavedupon its upper side in a manner which will be clearly understood whenreference is had to Fig. 40f the drawings. Now we would have it to beunderstood that this rake-track may be cast or formed as an integralpart of the frame 4, or it may be made separately and of a differentmaterial, such as wrought-iron, and connected therewith in any suitablemanner, also that when thus connected braces or supports may beinterposed when necessary in order to sustain it in any desired positionwith relation to the said frame, also that such braces or supports maybe made to constitute integral parts either of the rake-track or of theframe, also that the said rake-track may be constructed in the form of aring or of a solid disk, all without changing the scope or departingfrom the spirit of ourinvention.

'lhe rake-track is provided with bearings for a transverse shaft 25.These bearings may be formed in ears or lugs 26, depending from oppositesides of the said rake-track or in any other suitable manner. The shaft25, which extends in a rearward direction, is provided at its rear endwith a crank 27, forming a treadle which may be easily reached by thefoot of the driver of the machine, who may thereby tilt the said shaftin its bearings. An independent foot-piece may be arranged upon thecrank or treadle 27; but this is not essential. The front end of theshaft 25 is curved in a rearward direction to the approximate form of asemicircle 28, which normally lies in contact with the outer or loweredge of the rake-track 22, forming an auxiliary track, the purpose ofwhich will be presently made apparent. The portion 28, which constitutesthis auxiliary track, is not necessarily an integral portion of theshaft 25. It may be separately constructed and attached to the shaft inany suitable manner; but the form described and herein shown, whilebelieved to be thoroughly efficient for the purposes intended, isprobably the simplest and least expensive. The free end of thesemicircular portion, which forms the auxiliary track 28, whenconstructed integrally with the said shaft may be connected with thelatter by twisting it around or otherwise making it fast to the saidshaft.

The rake-bar 19 supports on its under side in brackets 29, formingsuitable bearings, a roller 30, which rides upon the track, so as torelieve the rake-bar from unnecessary friction, which would result fromdirect contact with the said track.

We prefer to form in the upper side of the rake-bar 19 a longitudinalrecess or mortise 32, in which is placed a ball or weight 33, the samebeing inclosed in the said mortise by a cover 34:. This ball or weightwill tend to assist in causing the rake-bar to move past a verticalposition as it approaches the upper limit of its movement in a rearwarddirection. This feature may or may not be used in connection with ourinvention, at the option of the manufacturer of the same.

35 designates the platform which is to be connected with the rear sideof the sickle-bar of the machine,preferably by means of hinges 36 orother suitable connecting means which will permit the said platform toride over 0bstructions by yielding thereto in an upward direct-ion.itself to small or abrupt inequalities of the ground. As regards theconstruction of said platform it is preferred that it should be.

slightly curved, so as to conform to the sweep of the rake in passingover it, and at its outer edge it is provided with a slightly-upturnedflange or roll 37, which will serve to prevent the cut grass fromdribbling off the platform.

The operation of the invention and its advantages will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with thedrawings hereto annexed. hen the mowing-machine to which our inventionhas been applied is drawn over the field, the grass cut thereby willlodge upon the platform 35 and there be retained during one fullrevolution of the rake-arm imparted thereto by the intermediateconnecting mechanism which has been herein described. When the rakereaches the forward and downward limit of its movement, it engages theforward end of the curved platform 35 and in its passage over the samerakes off the grass, 850., deposited thereon, throwing the same off atthe rear end of the platform.

When the crop is verylight or very thin, it may be desirable to permitthe rake to accomplish one or more revolutions without raking the grass,&c., 0d the platform, but rather permitting the same to accumulate untila sufficient bunch has been gathered.-

Whenever this is the case, it is only neces sary for the driver of themachine to depress the crank or treadle 27 of the shaft 25, thus tiltingthe latter in its bearings and elevating the auxiliary track 28. Thelatter will thus be engaged by the contact-roller upon the under side ofthe rake-bar, and the latter will accomplish its circuit in an elevatedpo- The said platform will thus adapt sition from the platform andwithout engaging or interfering with the material deposited thereon.When a sufficient quantity has been gathered or accumulated upon theplatform, the driver simply releases his pressure upon the crank ortreadle 27, thus causing the auxiliary track to drop to its normalposition. Should it not drop automatically by its own weight, the weightof the rake will be sufficient to force it back to its normal position.

We desire it to be distinctly understood that while we have hereindescribed and illustrated the preferred form of our invention we do notregard ourselves as limited as to the details thereof, but considerourselves entitled to any changes and modifications in the structure ofthe detailed parts which may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of our invention. Thus, for instance, chain-gearing might besubstituted for the cog-gearing herein described for transmitting motionfrom the supporting wheel of the mower to the operative parts of ourdevice by simply making changes in the structure, which would readilysuggest themselves to any mechanic.

, Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. Inamowing-machine,thecombination of a transporting-wheel, a bevel-wheel clamped thereon, aframe journaled upon the hub of said bevel-wheel and having rigidconnection with the machine-frame, rake mechanism sup ported upon theframe journaled .upon the hub of the bevel-gear and means fortransmitting motion from the latter to said rake mechanism.

2. In a mowing-machine, the combination of a main frame, asupporting-frame having rigid connection with said main frame and havinga bearing in which one of the revolving members of said mowing-machineis supported, a shaft journaled in said supportingframe, a rake hingedat the outer end of said shaft, a track for said rake supported upon theframe, a bevel-gear mounted upon the frame, a knuckle-joint connectingthe shaft of said bevel-gear with the inner end of the shaft carryingthe hinged rake, and means for operating said bevel-gear.

3. The combination of a bevel wheel clamped upon one of the Wheels of amowingmachine, a frame journaled upon the hub of said bevel-wheel, apinionsupported upon said frame and meshing with said bevelwheel, ashaftjournaled in the frame and carrying a hinged rake at its outer end,a knuckle-joint connecting the inner end of said shaft with the shaft ofthe pinion, and a rake-track supported upon the frame, substantially asset forth.

at. In a device of the class described, the combination with therake-track having depending ears, of a shaft journaled in said ears,extended rearwardly and provided with a treadle, and an auxiliary trackconnected with said shaft and lying normally in contact with the loweredge of the main track, substantially as set forth.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main frame,a revoluble member having a hub, a supporting-frame rigidly connectedwith said main frame and having a bearing journaled upon the hub of theaforesaid revoluble member, a rake-track supported upon said frame, arock shaft journaled transversely to the latter and carrying anauxiliary track, means for operating the latter, a pinion mounted withinthe supporting-frame and meshing with the bevelgear which constitutesthe revoluble member upon the hub of which said frame is journaled, ashaft mounted axially in the raketrack, a hinged rake-bar at the outerend of said shaft, and a knuckle-joint between said shaft and the shaftof the pinion.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a shaft, arake hinged thereto, a track encircling the rake-carrying shaft, alongitudinal mortise in the rake-bar, a weight arranged slidingly insaid mortise, means for retaining said weight in said mortise, andsuitable operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim theforegoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ABRAM MIDDLETON. THOMAS S. PEARSON. Witnesses:

J. W. OooPER, L. E. COLLIER.

